10 Savvy Postmodern Horror Films That Helped Reinvent The Genre

As a genre, horror often gets a lot of flack for redundancy. Too many scantily clad final girls running around too many found-footage sequels and prequels. As a horror junkie, I get it and can understand how it gets tiresome. But for all of the Paranormal Activities and Insidiouses (as fun as they can be), there have been a plethora of sharp, witty horror flicks since Wes Craven’s Scream that rose above traditional horror tropes while also paying endearing (and sometimes, necessary) homage to those who came before.

While postmodernity is a term often criticized for being overused and legitimately underrepresented — across all art forms, not just horror movies — smart fright flicks have proved to be the proud few that recognize how critical they are of the past and how important it is to shake up those go-to narrative devices. Below are ten postmodern gems, listed chronologically for evolutionary emphasis, that rattled a genre whose foundation is one, giant rulebook: monsters come out at night, zombies eat brains, witches wear point hats — you get the picture. Just don’t expect those by-the-book formulas from these films.

'Scream' (1996)

Photo: Miramax

Writer Kevin Williamson partnered with horror pioneer Wes Craven to deliver the postmodern horror pillar with Scream. Before it became a parody of itself by its third and fourth installments (and inspired direct parody in the Scary Movie franchise), Scream challenged traditional masked killer flicks while also acknowledging previously made art: Ghostface’s mask is a nod to the Michael Myers and Jason Voorhees murderers of the realm in addition to Edvard Munch’s The Scream. Not to mention the Psycho-inspired offing of the film’s biggest star within the first act (in Drew Barrymore’s case, the first ten minutes) and the fact that the script brilliantly embraced campy humor. [Where to stream Scream]

'From Dusk Till Dawn' (1996)

Photo: Everett Collection

The best part about From Dusk Till Dawn isn’t watching Quentin Tarantino attempt to act (in a role he wrote for himself) or marveling at Salma Hayek’s dancing with a massive python. Rather, it’s the realization that comes after the Gecko Brothers enter the Titty Twister, and you’re suddenly aware the entire film just switched genres. No longer is it a stylish bank-robbing heist flick but, in fact, a stylish vampire horror romp. [Where to stream From Dusk Till Dawn]

'The Blair Witch Project' (1999)

Photo: Artisan Entertainment

Hate on The Blair Witch Project all you want, but it deserves credit where credit is due. Not only did it push found-footage mockumentaries into mainstream conversation, but it also found refuge in the daylight. The slow-build scares weren’t satisfied with jumpy-nighttime sequences, but rather in the sunlit, creepy backwoods of Maryland. [Where to stream The Blair Witch Project]

'American Psycho' (2000)

Photo: Everett Collection

Not all monsters have to wear masks. In fact, not all monsters look anything like monsters. They can be the dapper businessman down the hall with a sick fetish for dicing up his lovers. Mary Harron’s adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ novel of the same name takes our innate assumption about the archetypal villain and spins it on its head. [Where to stream American Psycho]

'Final Destination' (2000)

Photo: Everett Collection

Instead of having forces of evil pick off teen protagonists one by one, James Wong’s premonition-inspired franchise used evil as a force — and one not to be reckoned with. Over the course of five films, the Final Destination franchise worked both with the idea of “the unknown” — you never know when death is coming for you, but you can surely bet it is — and against it in the sense that we all know death is inevitable and isn’t truly unknown if you think about it. [Where to stream Final Destination]

'Shaun of the Dead' (2004)

Photo: Everett Collection

Who said the living dead couldn’t be outright hilarious? Edgar Wright took George A. Romero zombie foundation and turned it into one of the most beloved horror comedies of the new millennium. In postmodern fashion, Shaun of the Dead, worked both within and outside of the zombie rulebook, most notably at the end — where both the living and the living dead learn how to live side by side. [Where to stream Shaun of the Dead]

'Drag Me to Hell' (2009)

Photo: Universal Pictures; Courtesy Everett Collection

There’s nothing quite like when a master of the genre pokes fun at his own game, while still creating a fun, but also downright scary, horror experience. Just the premise of Sam Raimi’s horror flick screams postmodern, tongue-in-cheek delight: a young, inexperienced loan officer allows an elderly woman (who is secretly an evil witch!) to be evicted from her home, subjecting herself to be cursed, literally, to hell. A coat button, an appearance by Justin Long, and one talking goat later, Raimi’s tale of witchy revenge leaves you wondering what the hell you just witnessed, but in the best way possible. [Where to stream Drag Me to Hell]

'Grave Encounters' (2011)

Photo: Tribeca Film; Courtesy Everett Collection

The Vicious Brothers’ (comprised of Colin Minihan and Stuart Ortiz) feature debut brilliantly criticized the ghosthunter craze while putting their own spin on the found-footage trope. A ghosthunting reality crew locks themselves overnight in an allegedly haunted asylum, only to find that their desperation for drama comes back to, erm, bite them — making us all secretly pray such a thing would happen to this guy. [Where to stream Grave Encounters]

'The Cabin in the Woods' (2012)

Photo: Lionsgate; Courtesy Everett Collection

There are so many layers to The Cabin in the Woods, it will make your head hurt after a while. One thing the Drew Goddard-Joss Whedon postmodern horror gem does spectacularly well, however, is keep you on your toes by going against what’s expected. Remember the wolf kiss scene? There wasn’t a second when you didn’t think that dead animal was going to jump off the wall and bite Jules’ face off, but doing so would have been too expected. [Where to stream The Cabin in the Woods]